


Where Roses Bloom

by Anonymous



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Clubbing, Dirty Dancing, Drag Queens, Fluff and Humor, M/M, MDMA/Estasy, Meet-Cute, Recreational Drug Use, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:15:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26767870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: On a night out with Noctis and Prompto, a particularly attractive male dancer catches Ignis’s eye.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia, background noctis/prompto
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12
Collections: Anonymous Fics





	Where Roses Bloom

**Author's Note:**

> This fic portrays characters enjoying MDMA use, so if that’s not your jam, feel free to nope out!
> 
> Stay safe out there, folks!

Prompto handed him the pill. It was orange, shaped like a triangle with smooth edges. There was a little heart stamped in the middle. 

“You’re absolutely sure it’s safe?” Ignis fretted 

“Aranea said she’s used this guy’s supply before. She said it was _awesome!_ C’mon,” Prompto pouted, “you promised you would try!”

“You’re right, you’re right.” Ignis had agreed, on this one occasion, that he would make an exception to his strict no illegal drugs policy.

They were on their way to one of Los Angelos’s finest gay clubs, and the night was filled with promise. 

He glanced at his two best friends, already in love, and wished for the hundredth time that he could have the same thing. He’d never had much success in love. He was shy and knew he often came across as pretentious and aloof, even when he wasn’t trying to be. 

Perhaps the ecstasy would help after all. Ignis didn’t know much about drugs besides that they were _Bad,_ but he’d researched this one extensively. _The love drug, “_ producing feelings of increased energy, pleasure, emotional warmth, and distorted sensory and time perception.”

Ignis could recite the websites from memory. He was nervous, but he trusted Prompto, who swore he’d tried this before and had given him and Noctis a glowing review of his experience. 

Still, Ignis turned the pill in his hand, uncertainty beginning to take hold.

“ _Iggy!_ The hell is wrong with you?! We’re not even there yet, and you’re already moping,” Noctis complained. “This isn’t like the clubs back home, you know. There’s going to be a ton of hot dudes from all across America, and you’ve got _two_ wingmen who are determined to set you up.”

“That’s right!” Prompto chimed in, “And now we’ve got drugs!”

“Little quieter with that info,” Noctis suggested, looking around as they walked on the sidewalk. 

They were both right. They had planned this all so carefully, booking their hotel months in advance, saving up all their money to go wild on this one amazing trip. Prompto had snuck _drugs_ onto a plane. Ignis was thankful he hadn’t told him that bit until after.

Prompto stopped them. “The club is just down the street. We all take them before we go in?” They nodded. “Everyone has their ID?” They nodded again. Prompto passed around a half-empty plastic water bottle, and they each ingested the pills, one at a time.

Ignis took in his surroundings. Nothing looked different yet, but it was supposed to take around 20 to 30 minutes to feel the full effects, followed by four to six hours of a serotonin rush and an experience of untold bliss, if it worked as advertised.

The line to get in the club was around twenty people long, and Ignis covertly tried to find handsome faces amongst the crowd that might strike his interest—not that he would ever dare approach someone he was interested in, but it was fun to fantasize anyway.

He already had a good feeling about this place. He was dressed in his favorite outfit - dark blue slacks with a light blue shirt and his favorite suspenders. He’d styled his hair perfectly and abandoned his glasses, giving everything far off the slightest blur.

As they were almost to the door, he started to feel it. Anticipation. It was like being nervous, but a _happy_ nervous that delicately tickled every centimeter of his skin and pulsed in his veins. Everything looked a little brighter, a little nicer, even the yellow street lamps had an intoxicating glow about them.

The transformation in the faces of his friends was the most incredible of all. Had they looked this perfect—this colorful and flawless when they’d left the hotel? His love for them was infinite, and he couldn’t keep the smile off his face.

“You’re feeling it too, aren’t you?” Prompto asked. 

Ignis nodded, not able to remove the dopey smile from his face. He licked his lips and breathed in deeply, and it felt as though the breath restored him, filling his lungs with something magical and refreshing, like breathing in the cool sea spray of the ocean.

They arrived inside and walked down a darkened hallway. He could feel the pulse of the deep bass in his chest as they were compelled towards the music and the lights. When the curtain parted, everything was enchantment. The multi-colored lights that moved in time with the music in a vast room full of impossibly attractive men (and some women too), dressed to the nines. 

Everyone came here, just like me, he thought. Everyone has the same hopes and dreams, the same anticipation, all moths going towards the same flame.

Prompto took his hand, and the squish of it felt incredible, as though every centimeter of Prompto’s warm hand was etching a message of love into his palm. 

“Wow,” was all he managed.

“Yeah, I know,” Prompto said, with a gigantic smile. Ignis took in everything—the smallest freckles on his face to the fullness of his lips. He didn’t think about it often, but Prompto was hot, and Ignis had to tell him.

“Prompto, you look amazing, and your freckles are beautiful, and your lips are gorgeous, and I love you,” he gushed.

Prompto was in his arms in a second, hugging him tightly, and the feel of his body was something Ignis couldn’t get enough of. He found his hands straying down Prompto’s back, relishing the sensation as the tips of his fingers developed powers of pleasure he’d never known.

Noctis was staring up at the lights on the ceiling, transfixed, barely aware of the glorious intimacy happening right in front of him. Ignis had to invite him into the fold. Soon, they were enveloped in a blissful mush of friendship when the music changed and dancers came out on the main stage. _Really hot dancers._

The three of them kept their arms around each other, but were eager to take in the sight. Ignis’s jaw went slack. The lights teasing off a series of incredible biceps and abs was truly spectacular to witness.

His gaze roamed over each man, trying to decide where to rest his eyes in such an undeserved visual feast, and—oh, suddenly it was obvious. The tall, tan hunky guy with the incredible tattoos. No one would suspect this was Ignis’s type. Ignis was supposed to be the smart one, the intellectual. He was supposed to want brainy guys in nice suits, and it wasn’t that he didn’t—indeed at the moment, he was developing a love affair with all humankind—but what he really wanted was a big, juicy man like the one lasciviously shaking his ass in front of him.

His inner monologue was telling him he could never get a guy like that, but it was immediately hushed by the glow of the drugs that dulled his worries. _But imagine if you could._

As the performers left the stage, Ignis watched the man depart with his perfect ass in a sparkly blue thong that showed off his entire, _generous_ package.

Ignis looked over at his friends to see if they were seeing what he was seeing, only to discover Prompto and Noctis were making out, hands all over each other. Sometimes it made him sad to be the third wheel, but tonight he was just too content to care. 

He felt a hand on his back and heard the words, “‘Scuse me,” and he turned to see it was none other than the new love of his life, Blue Thong... _Guy_.

But the man didn’t linger for long, no doubt he’d been summoned to the lively group of friends with matching plastic headbands announcing they were part of a bachelor party.

To Ignis’s surprise, one of the men at the table beckoned him over. The light touch of his hand on Ignis’s arm was incredible. 

“You here alone?”

“With my friends, but they’re, uh, busy,” he smiled, pointing at the two of them where they were still glued at the mouth. 

The man laughed. He was very attractive. So attractive Ignis usually would be too nervous to speak to him, but as it was, all he could feel was unadulterated joy and gratitude for being spoken to by an incredibly handsome gentleman. 

“My name is Nyx,” he yelled into Ignis’s ear so as not to be outmatched by the pounding music of the club.

“Ignis, but you can call me Iggy.” He shook Nyx’s hand for far too long just because he loved the feel of it.

Just then, Ignis found he had something far more intriguing to focus on. His new crush was grinding on the table, his perfect ass on full display. Oh how Ignis wanted just one touch.

“Have you ever had a lap dance before?” Nyx asked.

Ignis shook his head.

“You want one?”

Ignis normally would’ve balked at the idea of a stranger paying for something for him, especially a lap dance, but not tonight. Tonight he gave his new best friend Nyx a lingering hug and kissed his cheek and said thank you after thank you, and as his crush was about to leave their table with a pile of bills in his thong, Nyx stopped him and made his request.

That’s when amber eyes met his, and they were arresting and beautiful, and the smile that blossomed on his face was from another world entirely. A favorite song popped into his head at just that moment: _A world where roses bloom._

The sexy man was taking him by the hand now, leading him to a booth in a back room. 

Ignis couldn’t stop his thumb from smoothing along the soft skin on the back of his hand.

And now they were trapped in a tiny booth together, and Ignis was probably supposed to sit down on the bench for his lap dance, but he didn’t want to.

“What’s your name?” Ignis asked.

“Friend’s call me Gladio,” he said, and his voice was as tasty a treat as his body. Deep and throaty and unbelievably hot.

“Say that again,” Ignis requested.

Gladio obliged, then smiled at him a little goofily, if Ignis wasn’t just imagining things, and he wondered if by some magic Gladio liked him too, but that was probably just the drugs talking.

“So what exactly do you want?” Gladio asked.

Oh with these dangerous questions!

“Can I hug you?” Ignis asked.

Gladio appeared amused by the request, but he nodded, and Ignis disappeared into his arms.

Every bit of him was magnificent, and Gladio wasn’t being stingy with the hug either. He was holding Ignis tightly, enveloping Ignis in his arms, and Ignis’s head fell perfectly on his shoulder. He was the perfect height, the perfect build, the perfect everything.

Ignis pulled away reluctantly and took Gladio by the hand instead, inviting him to sit on the bench next to him. His face was probably too close, hand still clasped in Gladio’s. The way the dim glow of light from the club played off his features was incredible, a show all by itself, only made more beautiful by those intoxicating golden-brown eyes and the distortions of the music that graced his eardrums and elevated it all to another level of spectacular.

Ignis could not contain this bubble of love inside him that was desperate to burst over everything and everyone. 

“You are the most wonderful person I’ve ever _seen_ ,” Ignis declared. “Is it odd that I’m still holding your hand?” 

“People usually hold a lot more than that,” Gladio winked. “By the way, do you want a lap dance or—?”

“Would you be disappointed if I didn’t?” Ignis asked, planting his forehead on Gladio’s shoulder. Still the perfect height, he noted with a grin. Also warm and firm and completely addicting.

“Actually, I wouldn’t,” Gladio said, and Ignis looked into his eyes and found he was smiling.

Ignis really wanted to kiss him, but even in his clouded brain, he knew not to kiss a stripper even if his huge, juicy lips were literally asking for it.

“What are you on?” Gladio asked, his tone thankfully registering only curiosity and not judgement. 

“Ecstasy,” Ignis admitted, before realizing his promise to Prompto. “I wasn’t supposed to tell you that,” Ignis confessed, almost falling over as laughter overcame him for no reason in particular. The way the air filled his lungs as he sucked in each breath was a revelation. 

He heard Gladio laugh for the first time too, and it was better than he could’ve possibly fantasized—boisterous and wildly joyful. He wanted to make him laugh again, but what came out instead was just the truth because his throat felt suddenly very dry. “I’m thirsty. Do you have water?”

“Yeah, I’ll get you some. What’s your name again?”

“Ignis. Call me Iggy.”

“Iggy, I like that,” he mused, exiting through the curtain as Ignis took one last look at his glorious, bare ass.

He thought of Noctis and Prompto. Were they worried about him? He looked at his phone. Twenty missed messages, ten missed calls. He had to find them. He would look for Gladio again later and apologize, but for now, his friends needed him.

He picked up his phone, and the homepage was a glowing rectangle of wonders. As he swiped to his contacts list, he was entranced by the way it shuffled along, countless names blurring past. Was this always so fun? He scrolled to the very bottom and all the way up again before remembering his task.

He felt a hand on the small of his back. It was Gladio, holding a water, fully clothed. Somehow he was equally attractive even when he _wasn’t_ butt naked. 

“It’s for you,” Gladio offered.

“You are beautiful,” Ignis said, “and I wanna take you home with me.”

Gladio laughed, a beautiful sound. “What if we just dance instead?”

“Aren’t you still working?” Ignis asked.

“Nah, I asked to get off early. There’s plenty of guys here tonight anyway. They won’t miss me.”

Normally Ignis would not ask such a bold and direct question, but tonight he did. “Did you do that for me?”

“I just figured you were only here for one night, and I would regret it if I didn’t spend a little more time with you,” Gladio shrugged. “You’re not sad about the lap dance?”

Ignis kissed him instead of answering. Gladio’s lips were strong and urgent and passionate, and kissing had never felt so good before, so all-consuming and pleasantly _wet._

It was Gladio who managed to pull away from him, and he was surprised that looking into his eyes was almost as good as kissing him. The connection was still there, ever present, unignorable.

“Let’s dance.”

Ignis nodded as Gladio wrapped his strong fingers around his arm and guided him through a maze of delectable men to the center of the dance floor. Ignis was gonna grind on Gladio _so hard._

But to his surprise, Gladio was grinding on _him_. Bent over, ass on his groin, shaking it before he went upright and pulled Ignis’s hands to wrap across his torso, then guiding them down his chest so Iggy could feel every muscle under his thin shirt as Gladio’s ass rubbed against his groin.

Ignis got in front of Gladio and did the same to him, pleased to feel he was hard as well, even more pleased to feel Gladio’s hands roam down his thighs and take hold so he could grind into him harder, perfectly in time with the pounding music. 

Ignis turned and pressed his cheek to Gladio’s neck, relishing the way he could feel every centimeter where their skin collided. He could smell a hint of his deodorant and a tiny bit of sweat, and both were beautiful to him, and he inhaled deeply.

“This is the best I’ve ever felt,” Ignis commented, closing his eyes and seeing waves of shapes that fell in patterns, bouncing at the bottom of his vision and rising up again, delicate and all-consuming beauty.

Then he heard it thrum inside him—felt it, really. The music. Sweet, beautiful music. His spirit soared with every note.

He craved another kiss, needed to feel Gladio’s entire gorgeous body pressed to his.

He let his hands stray everywhere, all self-consciousness lost, focused only on touching every bit, from his wide shoulders to his firm ass. 

Suddenly, he recalled that Noctis and Prompto were still looking for him.

“Gladio, I need to find my friends. Should I find you later? Maybe you can give me your number?”

Gladio looked sad, so Ignis added, “I’m sorry” and kissed Gladio again, getting lost in his embrace. There was something he was supposed to remember…

“I’m so sorry, I have to go. I need my phone,” he said, reaching in his pockets. Mmm, it felt good to rub his own hands on his leg. He felt the phone in his grasp and pulled it out. More missed calls, but his phone looked so pretty. He was just going to pull up his camera roll and see if there were any good gifs in there. That would be fun. 

“Uh, Iggy? Your friends. Mind if I help? I’m tall, so I might be able to spot them for you.”

“You’d really want to help? Wow, you’re amazing,” he commented, kissing Gladio again before remembering. “My friends!”

Gladio laughed. “The drugs are clearly _working,_ ” he teased. “I’ll try to keep us on track, as long as you don’t distract me again. What do they look like?”

“Prompto is blond, has freckles. He’s the nicest boy in the world. He gave me the drugs and convinced me to come here. We met in high school. He hugged me tonight. It was so nice.”

Gladio smile was infectious, and the way the lights danced on his face was completely brilliant. “Do you remember what he’s wearing?” Gladio asked.

“Purple. Him and his boyfriend Noctis. He’s got kind of messy, dark hair. They’re probably making out. They’re so cute together.”

“Mmm,” Gladio said, getting up on his tiptoes to look. Ignis placed a hand on his butt while he did so, just because. It did not disappoint, and Gladio seemed totally unphased, maybe just a little amused, when he noticed.

“I think I see them!”

Aww, he was so excited to be helping Ignis out. And he was so hot. Ignis typed that into their group chat and received an immediate call.

“I’m with a stripper!” Ignis announced.

He heard both Prompto and Noctis burst out laughing and started cracking up himself. He loved ecstasy, and he never wanted this night to end. 

Gladio had taken him by the hand and was guiding him away from the dance floor. As they got towards the outer edge, he saw Noctis and Prompto rushing towards them with huge smiles on their faces.

“Can I touch you?” Prompto asked Gladio in greeting.

“Uh, what?” Gladio asked. He seemed a little overwhelmed with all three of them staring up at him.

“Sorry,” Noctis chimed in with a charming smile. “He’s not thinking clearly.”

“Ah I see, so you all took the same thing?”

They looked a little nervous to respond so Ignis chimed in, “I already told him. It’s cool.”

“Sooo...do you like Iggy?” Prompto asked, eyebrows raised. Instead of fearing the answer like he normally would, Ignis felt grateful that Prompto was asking a question he truly wanted to know the answer to.

Gladio looked at him slyly. “Yeah, Iggy’s pretty cool.”

Prompto wrapped his arms around Gladio from the side. “You’ll hang out with us, right?”

“Yeah, for sure. Actually, I could get us a table. Just give me a few minutes. Stay right here, yeah?”

As soon as he was away, Prompto and Noctis were all over Ignis, wanting to know every detail. They formed a circle of interlocked arms, and that felt really nice. He found himself petting the sequins on Prompto’s jacket.

“The hell happened?” Noctis asked. “One second you were there, then we didn’t see you for over an hour!”

“Has it really been that long? Didn’t seem like it. This guy bought me a lap dance, but I ended up talking with the stripper—well, Gladio,” he gushed, loving that he was on a first name basis with said stripper. “And then we danced, and he was grinding on me, and I was kissing him.” He found himself compelled to lick his lips throughout his story, and it felt really good to do that. “He gave me water,” he added. “Oh, but I lost it.”

“Ughhh water would be nice,” Prompto said.

Gladio showed up then and led them to a table right next to the main stage. “We’ll be just in time for the show,” he commented.

“The show?” Iggy asked.

“The _drag show,_ ” Prompto noted proudly. 

“I’ll have to join for part of it, but I can hang out for a little longer,” Gladio said, casually throwing his arm around Ignis. Ignis swooned, shamelessly resting his hand on Gladio’s meaty thigh.

Normally he was very reserved with other men, but with a little help from the ecstasy, he was on a whole new level. Perhaps the way he felt compelled to pet Gladio’s thigh was a little weird, but the fabric felt too incredible to resist.

“Are you a drag queen then?” Ignis asked.

“Not exactly, but I do perform. I don’t want to ruin the surprise.”

A waitress in drag came up to them with a plate full of water and glasses of orange juice, leaving with a wink at Gladio.

The lights dimmed, and the first set was better than Ignis could have dreamed. His first drag show. The queen came out in a gold-sequined dress and tall matching heels with a big red wig.

Ignis was entranced. The way the lights shined off her clothes made the performer look ethereal and captivating and definitely befitting the title of _queen._

Ignis didn’t think the smile left his face until Gladio left. He was gone for the entirety of the next song, and Ignis was torn between his complete captivation with the show and worrying Gladio wouldn’t come back. Still, every pulse of the beat thrummed in his heart and danced through his ears like nothing he’d ever heard before.

When the next song began, Gladio appeared onstage wearing _only_ tight black briefs and a matching bow tie, and Ignis fell into Noctis’s lap in delight and surprise, feeling so overcome by the emotions overtaking him, pure, unencumbered joy. Everything a surprise, everything a delight.

When he sat back up, Gladio had put his hand out and a beautiful blonde, slim queen took it. She was wearing a long red dress with a provocatively high slit, and they started a very salacious tango that Ignis tried to record in his brain forever.

To Ignis’s unending relief, after it was done, Gladio returned to their table, and Ignis was fresh out of ideas as to how to act or what to say. Gladio just laughed at his expression as he sat next to him.

Prompto was a fountain of effusive praise, which had Ignis and Noctis giggling.

To Ignis’s delight, Nyx, his new best friend who he’d all but forgotten about, walked past their table then, offering Ignis a sly wink.

“He paid for my lap dance!” Ignis announced.

“Eh, sometimes Nyx makes a game of trying to set me up. I might’ve mentioned I thought you were cute,” Gladio said, taking a sip of his drink and looking away with the hint of a smile. 

“You thought _I—?”_ Ignis couldn’t quite finish the question, but the sweet delight that broke upon Gladio’s features was a beautiful sight to behold. He wanted to grind dance _all over him. Now._

“Can we dance again?” Ignis asked.

”Of course.”

Ignis looked over at Noctis and Prompto to see if they were hearing this, but they were busy making out again.

Gladio smiled and led him to the floor where they danced until the club closed. Ignis could tell his high was waning, and in the bright, overhead lights, he worried maybe it was all just a dream.

“You have to give me your number,” Gladio said.

“I’m afraid I’ve given you a false impression of who I am,” Ignis worried. “I’m not usually so bold or adventurous as I was tonight.”

“I really doubt that,” Gladio said with a wide smile. 

Ignis gave him the number and one last parting kiss.

Yet as they walked back to the hotel, he couldn’t stop second-guessing himself.

He received a text from Gladio almost immediately.

“He’s asking if he can come with us tomorrow. What do you think? I know it was just supposed to be the three of us,” Ignis said.

“Iggy, you _have to_ invite him. You’d be an idiot not to,” Prompto said.

“Prompto’s right,” Noctis agreed.

“Maybe I need some time to think about it…”

Prompto pulled the phone out of his hands and ran away with it, Ignis half-heartedly reaching after him.

“There! I invited him,” Prompto said, waving the phone in the air. “Wait a minute. Awww, he already texted back. He’s coming. He wants to know when. If I give this back to you Ig, you have to promise me you’ll text him back.”

“Fine,” Ignis grumbled, but secretly he was happy. If left to himself, he might have overthought it, but now as it was, he was just really happy to look at his phone and see the text from Gladio. 

_I’ll miss you until then ;)_

He hesitated. What if Gladio found sober Ignis boring or lame or just not very attractive? 

Oh, what did it matter? Life was too short.

_You too. Can’t wait. :)_

He hit send. 


End file.
